INVESTIGATION – Former relatives of the fallen dictator speak, on condition of anonymity, of his pitiful end to his reign as the rebels tightened their hold on the capital.
On the run, Maher el-Assad, the brother of the deposed dictator, telephoned one of his friends a week ago to deny the rumor of his death. « I'm still alive, he told meentrusted to Figaro his interlocutor. But the most improbable thing is that he added that he intended to return to Syria. Why do ? He's crazy, he doesn't realize that Bachar is hated, even by his family, whom he abandoned. » Including Maher himself, feared leader of the 4e armored division, who was not warned by his brother of his escape.
Two weeks after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebels at the end of an eleven-day lightning offensive, the mystery is dissipating over the pitiful departure of the dictator, and the widespread disarray which followed among family circles and security of the regime. Several sources agreed to testify to the Figaroanonymously for security reasons. « Bashar left Damascus on Saturday…
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